Doubt and faith

I find that sometimes inspiration comes to me the most unlikely ways. For example, today. I was reflecting on what to share in this brief devotion and I noticed a quote at the bottom of my diary that says: 

"Doubt is pain too lonely to know that faith is its twin brother." - Kahil Gibran

Immediately I was taken to the post-resurrection passages that we are focusing on at the moment. Of course, Thomas is often the center of attention. We seem to get stuck on his brief moments of doubt, forgetting that his actions of FAITH were truly remarkable. He was one of the few disciples willing to die for Jesus and, even after his initial doubts, he became a champion of the Gospel.

Let us not become stuck in our doubts as they are often intertwined with our greatest moments of faith.

"Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” - John 20:27

As Frederick Buechner is alleged to have said: "Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith!" :) 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Feeding your mind

It is safe to say that most people recognise that our minds are incredibly powerful instruments. We can use our minds for great good or sadly for destructive purposes. What is important for Christians is what we are feeding our minds. If we feed ourselves a diet of negativity and criticism, then we will begin to live like this. However, if we choose to feed our minds with godly things, then we will reap a spiritual harvest.

 

Luke 24:38 - He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?

Jesus dealt with the doubts that arose in the minds of the disciples and when he shared the scriptures with them he was helping them understand all that they had learnt.

Luke 24:45 - Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

 

Allow the Spirit to feed your mind with godly things so that your life will be led by the things of Jesus.

 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

On our Doubts

“A faith without some doubts is like a human body with no antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask the hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic. A person's faith can collapse almost overnight if she failed over the years to listen patiently to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection.”
― Tim Keller 

 

Jude 1:22 - Be merciful to those who doubt;

 

May our doubts lead us to a deeper and more genuine faith.

 

Keep walking in the ways of Christ and may he show you his path. 

 

Living in Grace

D3LM3 

Tossed by the wind

I have always been drawn to the opening words of James' letter. There is something profound in the way he speaks of perseverance, wisdom and the testing of our faith. 

However, the one 'stand out' image that he uses, is the one of being tossed around by the waves of the sea. He uses this in conjunction with our doubts. One just needs to swim in the shore break to know how powerful the waves can be - they can literally toss you all over the place. Doubt is exactly like that - one minute we feel fine, and the next we feel as if we are being overwhelmed with fear. Wind and waves can beat against our lives and make us feel desperate.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do." - James 1:2-8

May we rest in the 'stable' presence of Jesus Christ. May His love and grace keep us from being overwhelmed by fear and doubts.

Living in Grace
D3LM3